Bestine IV, or simply Bestine, was an aquacultural planet in the Inner Rim, along the Corellian Trade Spine. Nearly all of its surface was covered by a vast ocean, but there were many rugged islands spread across the planet. The original population struggled for years atop the planet's Island Spires to create an island paradise. As time passed, the planet was more widely known for its ship repair and construction industry, which eventually caught on with the Galactic Empire, who constructed large naval shipyards.

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Early colonization attempts of Bestine were problematic, with a series of Kian'thar settlements being tried and abandoned from 278 to 211 BBY. Eventually, in 170 BBY, a H'kig commune was successfully established.[2]

It was after this planet that Tatooine's capital, Bestine, was named by Bestinian survivors of the Dowager Queen wreck. Some locations on Tatooine were named after locations on Bestine IV; for example, Tatooine's Fort Tusken was named after Bestine IV's island Tusken.[3]

The planet had become increasingly attractive due to Bestine’s small but growing ship repair and construction industry, which can be credited to the planet’s unique oceanicbased shipyards that were designed primarily to quickly produce frigate-sized vessels.[1]

In 3 BBY, its populace was displaced for the construction of an Imperial naval yard. This project was simply a massive expansion of the present naval shipyards, which were curiously located on the surface of the ocean, not in orbit. The displaced populace were promised a "new and exciting home", but, when the promise wasn't kept, most ended up scattering to other systems. Many joined with or aided Rebel agents on Bestine, although they were never able to successfully sabotage the Imperial shipyards which had been code-named Juggerhead. The shipyards gave the impression that they were constructing Acclamator-class assault ships, although in fact it was conducting research and development on a sleek, single-seat attack submersible, the TIE torpedo.[2] Bestine was later the location of an important Rebel base.[6]

Bestine IV stayed under Imperial control until 9 ABY. Following the defeat of Grand AdmiralThrawn, Imperial forces cleared the Juggerhead facilities and abandoned the planet. Bestine IV became part of the New Republic soon after.[2]